Numerous patents have been issued for rafts intended for hydroponics and floats intended to display plants. Generally the hydroponic rafts are designed to keep the plants out of the water while encouraging the roots to extend into the body of water. Unfortunately, display floats have lacked the ability to ensure that the plants are not over watered or to ensure that the associated potting soil does not become water logged.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,562 ('562) titled “Floating Support for Growing Plants” illustrates an early display float that entirely submerges the bottom of the plant pot. In fact, the '562 invention provides a “means for constantly supplying moisture to the plants,” while acknowledging that “there are certain types of plants that cannot flourish when subjected to a constant water supply.” Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,533 ('533) titled “Method and Apparatus for Hydroponic Farming” illustrates a hydroponic raft that also entirely submerges the bottom of the plant container, while allowing the roots to extend into the body of water.
Maintaining the bottom of the plant pot submerged, and therefore keeping a large portion of the potting soil totally saturated, as found in the '562 and '533 devices is not healthy for many plant species. The present invention solves this issue.